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About Me

I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations.
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Friday, January 17, 2014

Elsie--Again!

After
much back and forth, yesterday I was able to declare victory. I
received a curt email from Robby's former school, graciously informing
me that my account balance has been zeroed and that they are no longer
pursuing the $1,754.00 they were seeking. Although I had little doubt
that I would win, knowing that it is officially settled in my favor felt
liberating. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to bask too long in my victory
because I need to prepare for my next battle.

It
turns out that my insurance adjustor, Elsie (name changed to protect
her own identity) has decided in her infinite penny-pinching sadistic
wisdom to deny my pregnancy socket. According to her, I should be able
to "proceed with the remainder of my pregnancy utilizing crutches and/or
a wheelchair." Needless to say, being handicapped by my insurance
adjustor is not something I plan to accept passively!

Asserting
that I should rely upon crutches, which would pose a huge safety risk
for both me and the baby-to-be, is utterly absurd. My sense of balance
is already askew because of my baby bump and my inability to see my
toes. Take away my prosthesis and I would become a series of accidents
in the waiting. Since Elsie only seems to care about saving as much
money as possible, I am surprised she did not consider the costs of the
emergency room visits which would ensue if I was reliant upon crutches
instead of my leg.

In addition to the
safety issues, which are glaring, forgoing my prosthesis would have a
negative impact on my health, my work and my family life. I have been
encouraged to remain as physically active as possible during the
pregnancy. If I were to give up my prosthesis, my activities would be
severely limited. I would have a difficult time navigating the stairs in
my home, would struggle taking Robby to and from school, and would not
be able to travel as much for work. My prosthesis has become integral to
my daily life, and living without it is something I am not willing to
try simply so Elsie can save some money.

I
was quite surprised yesterday afternoon when I received a phone call
from Elsie herself. She began the conversation with this matter-of-fact
question: If I approve this new socket, are you willing to sign a
document stating that you are not going to get pregnant again?" It took
me a few seconds to process what she had said, and I don't think the
ramifications really struck me until hours after I hung up the phone.
Talk about an illegal request! Considering my dismay, I managed to
respond, "Um.. Are you willing to sign a document stating that you will
no longer be a heartless bitch?" The phone conversation ended quickly!

To
add insult to this entire situation is the fact that Elsie is an
amputee. Like me, she knows what it is like to lose a part of your body.
Obviously that is where the similarities end. Admittedly, she does not
have a comfortable prosthesis, apparently does not have an active sex
life and seems quite content living a more limited lifestyle. I am tired
of my needs being denied because she chooses to settle for poor
prosthetic care.

I am appealing this
decision and, much like the issue with Robby's former school, I have
little doubt that I'll eventually be victorious. I am ready to fight,
but the fact that I must appeal such a heartless and nonsensical
decision is frustrating. Yesterday my friend reminded me that I've been dealing with this lady's nasty demeanor for 15 years.

After calming down from this infuriating exchange, I logged onto the internet to begin searching for my rights. I always log onto my Hotspot VPN because, as this encounter with my adjustor has proven, I don't trust anybody. Right now, anonymity is my friend!

I become overwhelmed when I envision myself
fighting the same battles for the rest of my life. I'm not asking for
anything elaborate or cost prohibitive. I'm asking for a socket so that
I can remain ambulatory and healthy for the remainder of my pregnancy.
Elsie's request almost makes me willing to go through this whole
pregnancy thing again, just to spite her!